Deep well self-priming system and pump unit assembly therefor



Jan. 21,1958 c. JACUZZI DEEP WELL SELF-PRIMING SYSTEM AND PUMP UNITASSEMBLY THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 14, 1955 JNVENTOR.

GANG/00 JAGUZZ/ HIS A 7' TOR/VETS Jan. 21, 1958 c. JACUZZI 2,820,413

' DEEP WELL SELF-PRIMING SYSTEM AND PUMP UNIT ASSEMBLY THEREFOR Filed'Fe b.. 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 span/0100' M 0022/ Hi5 ATTORNEYSINVENTORE United States are DEEP WELL SELF-PRIMING SYSTEM AND PUMP UNITASSEMBLY THEREFOR Candide Jacuzzi, Lafayette, Califl, assignor toJacuzzi Bros., Incorporated, a corporation of California ApplicationFebruary 14, 1955, Serial No. 487,953

7 Claims. (Cl. 103-5) My invention relates to pump systems and moreparticularly to deep well self-priming pump systems.

Among the objects of my invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved deep well selfpriming pump system;

(2) To provide a novel and improved deep well selfpriming pump systemrequiring no foot valve and which will handle gas and air without losingprime;

(3) To provide a novel and improved deep well selfpriming pump systemhaving no valves or movable component parts below the ground level;

(4) To provide a novel and improved deep well selfpriming pump system inwhich all movable parts are readily accessible for servicing;

(5) To provide a novel and improved pump unit assembly for a deep wellself-priming pump system;

(6) To provide a novel and improved pump unit assembly for a deep Wellself-priming pump system, which assembly includes all the movablecomponents of the system.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunction.with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a schematic viewdepicting the deep well self-priming pump system of the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation of that portion of thesystem appearing above ground;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the system depictedin Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view taken in the plane 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view in section taken in the plane 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a view in section taken in the plane 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a view in section taken in the plane 7-7 of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a view in section taken in the plane 8-8 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings for details of my invention in its preferredform, the system involves a pump unit assembly 1 including a pair ofimpeller stages 3 and 5, having their respective impellers 7, 8 on acommon shaft 9, with each stage having an independently associated inputpassage 11 and 13 respectively and an associated discharge passage 15and 17 respectively.

Associated with the pump unit assembly is a pressure tank 19 having asubstantially horizontal partition 21 therein, to define an upper orstorage chamber 23 and a lower or air separation chamber 25.

The lower or air separation chamber has an opening 27 toward the bottomthereof to permit of a connection or coupling to the intake end of thelower impeller 7 by way of the input passage 11 included therein.

A second opening 31 in the air separation chamber located at a higherelevation than the first opening, prorides for a connection to the inputend of the second imice peller 8 by way of the input passage 13associated with that impeller.

At a point preferably intermediate the two aforementioned openings inthe air separation chamber, I provide another opening 33 to provide forthe coupling of the air separation chamber to a suction pipe 35 by wayof a coupling passage 37.

The lower impeller is connected by means of its associated dischargepassage 15, to a pressure pipe 39 which connects down in the well to thenozzle of a conventional injector assembly 41. The intake end 43 of theinjector assembly, which in a normal installation, would be coupled to afoot valve, is in the present system, maintained submerged in the waterof the well without a foot valve coupled thereto.

During quiescent periods of the pump unit, water is maintained in boththe air separation chamber and the storage chamber of the tank by acheck valve 45 in the portion 37 of the suction line connecting the airseparation chamber to the suction pipe, and a diaphragm type valve 47 inthe portion 15 of the pressure line from the lower impeller to thepressure pipe.

The system, as thus far described, provides an impeller stage 3 forsupplying the injector assembly down in the well, and an independentlyfunctioning impeller stage 5 for pumping water into the storage chamberof the pressure tank, and in conjunction with both stages, the systemprovides an air separation chamber which is so coupled to the impellerstages as to supply air free water to the first impeller stage and airmixed water to the sec- 0nd impeller stage.

Upon termination of a pumping cycle in a system of the type described,both valves 45 and 47 close, and the suction and pressure pipes could,depending on the depth of water level in the well, partially emptythemselves of Water below these valves, thus creating a vacuum or acondition of partial vacuum in such pipes.

When the pressure in the storage chamber drops to its lowest permissiblevalue, as determined by the setting of a conventional pressure switch(not illustrated), the pump unit is energized and begins to function.However, in view of the existence of the voids in the suction andpressure pipes at this point in the operation of the system, Watercannot be lifted from the well to the air separation chamber until suchpipes become filled with water and the voids thereby eliminated.

This is accomplished by filling such pipes, if voids exist, with waterfrom the storage chamber during the starting up portion of the pumpingcycle. For this purpose I provide a passage 51 interconnecting thedischarge passages of the first and second impellers, and insert a checkvalve 53 in such connecting passage and in such direction as to blockflow from the first impeller stage to the second impeller stage, butpermit fiow from the storage chamber to the pressure line.

In this connection, the diaphragm valve 47 otters no problem, for uponstarting of the pumps, the resulting reduction in pressure on thesuction side of the diaphragm, supplemented by the positive pressure ofthe water from the storage chamber, acting against the other side of thediaphragm will cause this valve to open and permit filling of the pipesto eliminate such voids.

When this condition is reached, the impeller can then start pumpingwater, whereupon the back pressure on the check valve in the connectingpassage created by the first stage, coupled with that of the valveweight or spring, as the case may be, will substantially balance out anyexisting opening pressure against the valve and thereby permit the checkvalve to close and cause substantially the entire output of the secondimpeller to be directed into the storage chamber, while the entireoutput of the first stage will go down the pressure line to operate theinjector assembly.

Any air or gas carried into the air separation chamher with water drawnfrom the well, will automatically rise to the surface and separate out,to ultimately find its way into the storage chamber with the waterpumped by the second impeller stage. In the storage chamber, such air orgas will rise to the upper regions of the tank to replenish the aircushion.

As previously indicated, the aforementioned valves and flow passages areall incorporated with the impeller stages into a pump unit assembly forinstallation at or above ground level in a pump system. As such, allpassages leading to or from the pressure tank, terminate in a flange 55at locations to match the openings in the pressure tank, which openingsare incorporated in a matching flange 57 on the tank and to which thepump unit assembly may be bolted.

The check valve 45 and diaphragm type valve 47 are located in a commonhousing 58 having a dividing wall 60 which defines the chambers 61 and63 in which the respective valves are located. Each chamber in turn hasa horizontal partition 65 with a valve seat opening therethrough boundedby a valve seat 67. Above and below such partition is an intake openingand a discharge opening respectively. To these lower openings, thesuction and pressure pipes are connected, the suction pipe to the checkvalve chamber, and the pressure pipe to the diaphragm type valvechamber.

A common cap 75 for the valve housing, serves to clamp the valvediaphragm 49 in position, and is formed to provide a communicatingpassage 77 between the check valve chamber and the space above thediaphragm of the valve in the other chamber.

The pump unit assembly described above, makes it a rather simpleprocedure to install a deep well self-priming system of the typedescribed, and when installed, all moving components are above groundand readily accessible for servicing.

The pump unit in such system becomes primed in a minimum of time becauseof the permitted flow from the storage chamber to the pressure lineduring interims when the pressure and suction lines contain voids.

While I have described my invention in its preferred form and inconsiderable detail, the same is subject to alteration and modificationwithout departing from the underlying principles involved. Therefore, Ido not desire to be limited in my protection to the specific detailsillustrated and described except as may be necessitated by the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A multi-stage deep Well self-priming pump system sub-combination foruse with a pressure pipe and suction pipe of such a system, saidsub-combination comprising a pump unit having at least a pair of stages,each stage having an input passage and a discharge passage, a tankproviding an air separation chamber having a pair of openings, oneelevated with respect to the other for connecting said chamber to saidstages, means connecting the input passage of one of said stages to saidair separation chamber at the lower of said connection openings, meansconnecting the input passage of said other stage to said air separationchamber at the upper of said connection openings, means for connectingthe discharge passage of said first stage to the pressure pipe of a pumpsystem, and means for retaining water in said air separation chamber forpriming purposes.

2. A multi-stage deep well self-priming pump system sub-combination foruse with a pressure pipe and suction pipe of such a system, saidsub-combination comprising a pump unit having at least a pair of stages,each stage having an input passage and a discharge passage, a pressuretank having a substantially horizontal partition therein to provide anupper chamber and a lower chamber, said lower chamber having a pair ofopenings, one elevated with respect to the other for connecting saidchamber to said stages, means connecting the input passage of one ofsaid stages to said lower chamber at the lower of said connectionopenings, means connecting the input passage of said other stage to saidlower chamber at the upper of said connection openings, means forconnecting the discharge passage of said first stage to the pressurepipe of a pump system, means connecting the discharge passage of saidsecond stage to the storage chamber of said tank, means for connectingsaid lower chamber to the suction pipe of a pump system, and means forretaining water in said lower chamber for priming purposes, said meansincluding a check valve in said suction pipe connecting means and anormally closed valve in said pressure pipe connecting means and adaptedto open in response to pressure from the first impeller stage.

3. A multi-stage deep well self-priming pump system sub-combination foruse with a pressure pipe and suction pipe of such a system, saidsub-combination comprising a pump unit having at least a pair of stages,each stage having an input passage and a discharge passage, a pressuretank having a substantially horizontal partition therein to provide anupper chamber and a lower chamber, said lower chamber having a pair ofopenings, one elevated with respect to the other for connecting saidchamber to said stages, means connecting the input passage of one ofsaid stages to said lower chamber at the lower of said connectionopenings, means connecting the input passage of said other stage to saidlower chamber at the upper of said connection openings, means for connecting the discharge passage of said first stage to the pressure pipeof a pump system, means connecting the discharge passage of said secondstage to the storage chamber of said tank, means for connecting saidlower chamber to the suction pipe of a pump system, means for retainingwater in said lower chamber for priming purposes, said means including acheck valve in said suction pipe connecting means and a normally closedvalve in said pressure pipe connecting means and adapted to open inresponse to pressure from the first stage, means permit ting dischargeunder pressure from said storage chamber to such pressure pipe duringoperation of said pump unit in a system while said second stage is in anunprimed state, said means including a fiow connection between thedischarge passages of said stages and a check valve therein blockingflow from said first stage discharge passage to said second stagedischarge passage but permitting flow in the reverse direction.

4. A multi-stage deep well self-priming pump system sub-combination foruse with a pressure pipe and suction pipe of such a system, saidsub-combination comprising a pump unit having at least a pair ofimpeller stages, each stage including an impeller mounted on a commonshaft. and each stage having an input passage and a discharge passage, atank providing an air separation chamber having a pair of openings, oneelevated with respect to the other for connecting said chamber to saidstages. means connecting the input passage of one of said stages to saidair separation chamber at the lower of said connection openings, meansconnecting the input passage of said other stage to said air separationchamber at the upper of said connection openings, means for connectingthe discharge passage of said first stage to the pressure pipe of a pumpsystem, means for connecting said air separation chamber to the suctionpipe of a pump system, and means for retaining water in said airseparation chamber for priming purposes.

5. A multi-stage deep well self-priming pump system sub-combination foruse with a pressure pipe and suction pipe of such a system, saidsub-combination comprising a pump-unit having at least a pair ofimpeller stages, each stage including an impeller mounted on a commonshaft, and each stage having an input passage and a discharge passage, atank providing an air separation chamber having a pair of openings, oneelevated with respect to the other for connecting said chamber to saidstages, means connecting the input passage of one of said stages to saidair separation chamber at the lower of said connecting openings, meansconnecting the input passage of said other stage to said air separationchamber at the upper of said connection openings, means for connectingthe discharge passage of said first stage to the pressure pipe of a pumpsystem, means for connecting said air separation chamber to the suctionpipe of a pump system, and means for retaining water in said airseparation chamber for priming purposes, said means including a checkvalve in said suction pipe connecting means and a normally closed valvein said pressure pipe connecting means and adapted to open in responseto pressure from the first impeller stage.

6. A multi-stage deep well self-priming pump system sub-combination foruse with a pressure pipe and suction pipe of such a system, saidsub-combination comprising a pump unit having at least a pair ofimpeller stages, each stage including an impeller mounted on a commonshaft, and each stage having an input passage and a discharge passage, atank providing an air separation chamber having a pair of openings, oneelevated with respect to the other for connecting said chamber to saidstages, means connecting the input passage of one of said stages to saidair separation chamber at the lower of said connection openings, meansconnecting the input passage of said other stage to said air separationchamber at the upper of said connection openings, means for connectingthe discharge passage of said first stage to the pressure pipe of a pumpsystem, means for connecting said air separation chamber to the suctionpipe of a pump system, and means for retaining water in said airseparation chamber for priming purposes, said means including a checkvalve in said suction pipe connection means and a valve in said pressurepipe connecting means, said latter valve being of the diaphragm typehaving one side of its diaphragm exposed to pressure from the firstimpeller stage and its other side to the pressure condition in saidsuction pipe connecting means.

7. A multi-stage deep well self-priming pump system sub-combination foruse with a pressure pipe and suction pipe of such a system, saidsub-combination comprising a pump unit having at least a pair ofimpeller stages, each stage including an impeller mounted on a commonshaft, and each stage having an input passage and a discharge passage, apressure tank having a substantially horizontal partition therein toprovide an upper chamber and a lower chamber, said lower chamber havinga pair of openings, one elevated with respect to the other forconnecting said chamber to said stages, means connecting the inputpassage of one of said stages to said lower chamber at the lower of saidconnection openings, means connecting the input passage of said otherstage to said lower chamber at the upper of said connection openings,means for connecting the discharge passage of said first stage to thepressure pipe of a pump system, means connecting the discharge passageof said second stage to the storage chamber of said tank, means forconnecting said lower chamber to the suction pipe of a pump system,means for retaining water in said lower chamber for priming purposes,said means including a check valve in said suction pipe connecting meansand a valve in said pressure pipe connecting means, said latter valvebeing of the diaphragm type having one side of its diaphragm exposed topressure from the first impeller stage and its other side to thepressure condition in said suction pipe connecting means, meanspermitting discharge under pressure from said storage chamber to suchpressure pipe during operation of said pump unit in a system while saidsecond impeller stage is in an unprimed state, said means including aflow connection between the discharge passages of said impeller stagesand a check valve therein blocking flow from said first impeller stagedischarge passage to said second impeller stage discharge passage butpermitting flow in the reverse direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,457,388 Lung Dec. 28, 1948 2,478,941 Piccardo Aug. 16, 1949 2,486,288Jacuzzi Oct. 25, 1949 2,630,069 Harris Mar. 3, 1953 2,694,365 Armstronget a1. Nov. 16, 1954

